The Criminal Instruments
by AKBruce
Summary: Clary Fray is an average university girl attending Sotheby's Academy of Art in London, UK. This was Clary's dream school, but when her and her two best friends are caught in the middle of an intense crime at a bar, Clary realizes that maybe there was more to her dream of going to school in London then she assumed. College AU. All in Clary's perspective.
1. Chapter 1

**1**

Clary really wasn't shocked by the fact that she ended up with the one type of roommate who constantly had some random guy or girl in bed with them all the time. With a life like Clary's that was just her bloody luck.

Today was really no different. As Clary stepped into her room after her one and only class of the day, she covered her ears as noises she really preferred not to hear 24/7 erupted behind the bedsheet stuck between their two different sides of the room. Quickly, Clary snatched up her purse, pulled on a scarf and some boots and hurried out the door of her dorm, purse swinging in her palm, and down the stairs towards the busy streets of London. She pulled her phone and her headphones out of her purse, plugging them into her phone, popping them into her ears and heading towards the Russel Square station, texting Isabelle and Maia asking which bar they were going to meet at tonight.

Sighing, she grabbed her wallet out of her purse, pulled out her oyster card, and then put her wallet back in, snapping the clasp shut and heaving it up over her shoulder, then joining the queue to get into the station.

Rubbing her hands together, she gaged her week so far: it was Friday night, her classes this week had been minimum stress, her artworks in all classes were coming along well, and she was still lonely as fuck. Of course, that really wasn't her fault since she had come from Victoria, Canada, just two months ago and had only made two friends in London so far.

As she approached the booth, she slid her card against the clicker and pushed through the machine, walking at a mediocre pace towards where the tube would pick her up, when her phone buzzed.

Isabelle: M and I are already at the Draft House, catch up you lazy oaf.! :-)

Clary smiled.

Clary: Ok, be there in 10. Save some drinks for me, would ya? ;)

Clary shook her head. Isabelle and Maia had been the highlight of her college years so far, besides the fact that her school was amazing. She had met the two of them maybe 2 weeks into the school year. Clary had been completely lost while she was trying to find the Picadilly back to her dorms, and had stumbled-literally stumbled- into a making out Maia and Isabelle while she was trying to figure out how to get the GPS on her phone to work. Maia and Isabelle had taken her home and the three of them had been extremely close ever since.

The blast of wind that always occurred right before the train pulled up brought Clary out of her thoughts and she stepped forward, tapping her fingers against the handles of her purse to the beat of her music. The train slowed to a stop, the doors of the car in front of Clary opening and a few people passing out. Clary stepped in and claimed a seat on the edge of the row, so she wasn't next to anyone, yet.

Sure, there were many perks to going to school in one of the largest cities in the world, but there were also downfalls. For example, apparently, every pretty young adult girl was tempting to a many of really and *barf* age, and especially one who looked like they were going out.

Clary pulled out her phone as the train took off and started scrolling through her messages until she reached Simon and hesitated.

Clary hadn't talked to her ex-best friend Simon Lewis ever since she got on a plane headed to London-Heathrow Airport two months ago. Simon had always liked her, and she knew that. So of course, when she told Simon she was studying in London for the final 2 years of College, Simon freaked out on her. He never supported her leaving and practically begged her to stay. All Clary could figure was that he felt that she chose school over him, which was definitely false, but this had always been Clary's dream, and Simon had known that. It was his own fault for not trusting Clary when she promised in grade school that she would end up in London going to art school.

The creepy lady's voice lit up around the car announcing that they had arrived at St. Pancreas and Clary stood up, moving in front of the doors that led people to the way out. The minute the doors opened, Clary headed up the escalators and followed all the people who were headed towards the way out as well.

Clary merged with all the busy people going about their business and took a deep breath of the wonderfully crisp polluted London air. There was nothing like it, nothing at all. She headed towards the Draft House, having walked this course almost thirty times, as the Draft House was a favorite of Maia's.

When she reached the cute pub, she pushed the doors open and immediately spotted Isabelle and Maia, starting towards them. Isabelle had three empty pints in front of her and Maia was pre-occupied with some most likely random guy.

"Am I to assume you drank all three of those and didn't actually save me any like I asked?" Clary asked, nudging Isabelle's shoulder, earning a nod from Isabelle.

"Damn, you know me too well I guess." Isabelle said, standing up. "Don't worry, I'll grab more. On me. Maia won't drink any anyways." Isabelle added, quirking her head to Maia and the guy who she was tongue wrestling with and waggled her eyebrows. Clary couldn't help but laugh at how calm Isabelle was with Maia making out with some random dude, and she would never pretend or attempt to understand their confusing relationship.

"Wow Maia," Clary started, causing a dis-helved Maia to turn her flushed face towards Clary. "I didn't even get a hello or a text. I'm starting to believe this relationship is completely one-sided." Maia grinned at her, winking, and then turning back to the guy and continuing her make-out session.

"Coming through bitches!" Isabelle slammed down four drinks and passed Clary two pints. "Drink up, love." Isabelle said, and Clary did as she was told. Isabelle, of course, was done long before Clary, but Isabelle was the drinking Queen.

"So, looks like Maia was struck with the luck tonight, eh?" Clary said, slamming down her first pint. "How does it feel to have the tables completely turned against you?" Isabelle laughed, wrapping her arm around Clary's far shoulder and pulling her closer.

"Feels like a goddamned blessing. Was getting worried I was the only person Maia fucked." Clary laughed and patted Isabelle's head, grabbing her other drink and sipping a wee bit, cringing slightly at how strong it was. "Yeah, I decided maybe you needed the hard stuff tonight," Isabelle continued, and Clary could already feel what was coming. "When was the last time you got any action, sweetheart? I mean, you come out with me and M all the time, but you never actually _do_ anything." Clary laughed lightly.

"That is such a lie, Iz. I drink every single bloody time." Clary said, and Isabelle rubbed her shoulder. "Don't you worry about me." She re-assured, feeling warm at how much her friend cared for her. A slight cough interrupted their discussion and they both turned to see a flustered Maia.

"Holy shit, M, what was that?" Isabelle asked, grinning ear to ear.

"Iz, C, he gave me his bloody number. What the hell do I do now?!" She exclaimed, eyes wide and brown hair going out in this way and that. Clary smiled, happy for her, and Isabelle whooped.

"This is so great, M!" Clary said enthusiastically. "He seemed really great."

"Hells yes he was. Damn, now I get why you always bring random girls over Iz. Whew! I needed a drink." Maia said, grabbing Clary's half-finished drink from Clary's hand and earning a "hey!" from Clary before Maia gulped it down and all three of them were hysterically laughing.

"I'm so proud of you, babe." Isabelle said, and she was moving towards Maia, then hugging her. Clary rolled her eyes and got up to get herself another drink. "You'd better come back with three!" Came from behind her and Clary chuckled shaking her head softly.

"Three of whatever that is," She said, pointing to a drink some guy was obviously really struggling to chug. "Make all three pints, please." She supplemented, and then sat at a stool waiting.

"Pardon me," Clary heard, and she whipped her head around to find herself staring at a man browned hair man just as he pulled out a gun and aimed it at her head.


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

Clary froze instantly, her mind going bonkers. It seemed as if the entire world had paused just so it could alert everyone: _Clary Fray has a gun being held to her head._

Totally at a loss of what to do, Clary stood, paralyzed in fear, and stared at the man holding the gun to her. He looked as if he was only a few years her elder and she was quite confused on how he managed to get a gun.

"This is your fault." The man whispered suddenly, just as the bartender turned to call 911 and Clary made eye contact with Isabelle and Maia whose eyes were extremely wide. "You did this to yourself." Clary knit her brows and shook her head, now very confused. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted the bartender slower going for the phone.

"Dial the number and I shoot." The man said, stepping close enough to Clary that she could feel his breath against her nose. She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply once and trying to steady her mind before opening them again.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" Came a shout from an approaching voice and Clary whipped her head to see Isabelle half-sprinting towards the man, waving her purse in his face. "We have money, we have jewelry, just do not shoot her!" Clary shook her head vehemently at Isabelle, not wanting Isabelle to get shot.

"You don't understand," He said, not moving his eyes away from Clary for a moment, and she could see he was beginning to shake. "I want justice."

With that, out of nowhere, something that was likely aimed for the man, struck Clary in the head and the entire world went black.

When Clary came to, she found herself slouching in a couch in a room she had never been in before. The lights in the room were extremely bright, most likely florescent, huge file cabinets lined the walls, and a giant desk was directly in front of her.

Clary struggled to remember just what exactly had occurred and how she ended up in this random place until she suddenly realized: man, gun, bar, bad. The first thought Clary was hit with was: _I'm dead._ But, as she was about to get up and look around whatever crazy afterlife she had been sent to, two men and, to Clary's relief, Isabelle and Maia strolled into the room. Just as Clary was about to relax she saw that the two men were in police uniform and was immediately back onto her anxiety.

"Bloody hells! C, you're okay!" Isabelle exclaimed, the first to notice Clary, and then practically jumped into her lap. Maia was quick to follow, and then the three of them were hugging and laughing, definitely hysterically. Clary was entirely fine with sitting there, hugging the two of them, for the next 24 hours, but one of the men in uniform coughed quite obviously and the three of them broke apart, all looking towards the officers.

"You alright Miss? Head feeling okay?" The taller one asked, nodding towards Clary's head. She shook it, rubbing her forehead. Sure, it ached, but nothing advil couldn't fix. He nodded back at her, turning to his partner, and then whispering something to him. Clary looked to her friends again, question on her face.

"One of you officers want to let me know what the flaming hells is going on?" Clary said, giving up on her act of pretending to be okay, needing answers.

"Just getting to that, Miss." The shorter and stumper one said. "You were at a bar tonight. As you were going to get drinks, a man held arms against you. He was not going to back down. Items began to be thrown and the bar erupted in chaos. You got hit in the crossfire, right in the head, and have been out for the past 45 minutes or so. You are in a station that your friends claimed is right next to the three of yours shared apartment." Clary's eyes were wide and the color from her face was gone by the end of his explanation. Clary remembered up until being hit, and knew for a fact that she did not live with her two best friends, but she kept quiet.

"Now, it seems from the account from witnesses was that the man was talking to you as if you had met before. Can you try to remember if that is correct?" The tall officer continued, pulling out a few documents and uncapping a pen.

"Yeah, he kept telling me that it was my fault, but, I swear by all things good and true, I have never seen him before." Clary said, and both her friends nodded in agreement. The stump officer walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a file, taking a picture out and setting it on the desk.

"Is this the man?" The stump officer questioned, and it was, in fact, the same person. She reached out and Maia grabbed her hand, squeezing it, while Isabelle rested an arm around her shoulder. Clary nodded, unable to say the word. The officers shared a look and then both put their files away before heading towards the door.

"What the fuck?!" Maia raised her voice, standing to look at them. "You can't just bloody leave. We deserve more information!" She attacked, but both the men just walked out of the door, locking it behind them.

"Its alright, M." Isabelle said, beckoning her to rejoin them. Maia sighed, sitting right next to Clary, squishing her in between the two of them.

"What, so now we're just locked in here with no information and not a clue what the hell is happening while we still have no idea what happened to the killer?" Clary exclaimed, throwing herself up and starting to pace the room. "Even better, I even have a chance of passing out!" She added, circling around the desk.

Sighing, Maia placed a hand on Isabelle's shoulder and whispered something to her before turning to Clary. "C-" She started, but just as she was about to say something she was cut off by a loud bang of the door being opened and four people entering the room. The man who looked to be the oldest of them walked briskly forward and stuck his hand out. Clary shook it hesitantly.

"You must be Clary Fray. I'm Magnus Bane, and I'm your head lawyer for this case. This here," He said, pointing to a younger man with short brown hair and a stalky figure, "Is Alec, my assistant. And that women there," He motioned towards another woman, slightly shorter than the others, "Is Aline Penhallow, your criminal detective, and her assistant, Jace Herondale." He finished, motioning to a tall blonde boy who did not look like he was of age to be an assistant to anyone. "We're your team for this case."

"Team? Nothing even happened." Clary cocked her head to the side, knitting her brows and looking towards her friends, who both shrugged, as confused as she was.

"Yes," The young lady-Aline- said, stepping forward. "It has been identified that the criminal who you interfered with was in fact Sebastian Verlac, Great Britain's most wanted criminal."


	3. Chapter 3

_Great Britain's most wanted criminal._

"Well, shit." Clary declared, hearing Isabelle release a stream of extremely dirty curses.

"Okay," Maia started, coming to join Clary at her side, her face pulling together in the expression that Isabelle called the 'Maia's brain on crack', "But- what the hell would Great Britain's most wanted criminal want with Clary?" Maia asked, looking at Clary's defense team. Clary couldn't help but agree with Maia, nodding her head. Clary had only been living in London for the past 2 months.

"That's what I'm here to figure out." Aline said, walking over to the desk, and placing a file down on it. "Clary, I'm going to require your permission to look into all of your personal records. School, extra-curricular, whatever I can find." She finished, pulling a pen out of her bag and scrawling 'Clary Fray' on the front.

"Now, hold on a second." Clary implored, putting her hands in front of her. "Nothing even happened. He held a gun to my head, I'm okay now, end of story." She said, hoping to all the gods out there that that was, in fact, the end of the story.

"Clary," Magnus said, a look of understanding on his face, "Sebastian escaped in the ruckus. Once he retaliates, he will come for you-and don't try to object that, he will-and we cannot allow that to happen, agreed?" Clary bobbed her head at him and didn't push anymore.

"I guess then, sure, Aline." Clary said, and Aline pulled out her computer, opening it and sitting down. Clary looked at her friends and let Isabelle pull her back onto the couch, stroking her hair.

As Isabelle stroked her hair, Clary noticed how the assistants had started conversing with each other and writing things down in notebooks. She studied them, deciding that they had to be around her age.

The blonde one who Magnus had called Jace looked up from his work while the other one who had been called Alec was still whispering something and noticed Clary's eyes on him, their eyes meeting. His eyes were an intense gold, and Clary was shocked by how unnatural they looked. He tilted his head, studying her, and then offered her a grim smile before turning back to Alec and agreeing with something Alec had said.

Clary mentally hit herself for drooling at her Criminal Investigator's assistance right after she was involved in a crime scene. Gosh, did she have perfect timing sometimes.

Magnus and Aline looked up from Aline's computer in sync and shared a look before turning towards the girls.

"Girls, I think it would be best if all three of you head back to where you reside for the night. We will contact you when we catch first glimpse of anything." Magnus said, getting up and leading them to the door. "And, no worries, you will be fine just the three of you for now, Sebastian wouldn't dare strike this close to the scene, we know his patterns." He added, ushering them out to a police car and asking the driver to take them home.

"Thank you." Clary said, before getting in the car as Maia told the officer her and Isabelle's address.

As the car pulled away, Clary caught one last glimpse of Jace and his golden eyes before she was too far away and left within her own thoughts.

"Gals, really, I can be in my own dorm, there's so many people in that building." Clary protested for what felt like the hundredth time as Isabelle made up her and Maia's couch into bed form. After they had gotten dropped off from the station, Clary was planning on going back to her dorm, but her friends had insisted upon her staying with them until this whole thing blew over.

"Oh, hush." Maia said, bringing a giant bowl of popcorn into the room from their tiny kitchen and placing it on the ground in the front of the tiny tv they had duct taped to the wall.

Maia and Isabelle's flat was one of Clary's favorite places in all of London. It was on top of a ten-story building, the tenth floor, on the corner. From the window, all of London could be seen, the buzzing city-life. Of course, it only had one bedroom, one bathroom, and a tiny kitchen that contained a mini-fridge, a microwave and a laundry-machine, but it was perfect for Isabelle and Maia.

Of course, the one bedroom had a queen bed that Isabelle and Maia somehow managed to share, to Clary's disbelief, a cozy corner couch pushed against the window and a cheap tv duct taped on the little portion of the wall that wasn't a window, since basically the whole wall of both sides of the room facing out were only glass windows. Clary absolutely loved the place, even though the whole building was pretty sketchy.

"There!" Isabelle declared, patting the couch that now somewhat resembled a bed. "Be glad you're tiny, C." She said, earning a scoff from Maia and a scowl from Clary as she grabbed the remote and joined Maia and Clary on the ground in front of the tv. Reaching for the remote, Clary flipped the tv on and found their favorite British baking station and curled herself in between Maia and Isabelle, reaching back and grabbing a blanket off their bed.

"Gosh- can you believe we have four people working on a case for us?" Clary said randomly a few minutes into the show during a commercial. "I mean, three random girls. A student, a dropout, and a manager. How less important could we be and yet here we rutting are." She pointed out, earning a laugh from Maia and a cheer from Isabel.

"Here's to overthrowing the patriarchy, just the three of us!" Isabelle exclaimed, raising the popcorn bowl in the air dramatically.

"I can definitely eat to that," Maia said, stuffing popcorn down her throat. "Plus, did you see how young those two boys were? I'm pretty sure we got trainees on our case." Isabelle laughed, wrapping the blanket tighter around the three of them.

"One of them was making eyes at C while the other was making eyes at the lawyer." Isabelle sniggered, shoving Clary lightly on the shoulder. "Who knows, maybe C will finally get a relationship out of all of this, huh?" Clary laughed at that, Maia still shoving popcorn down her throat.

"Fall in love with my legal defense lawyer. Classy. Sounds more like something you'd do, Iz." Clary countered, earning a cackle from Maia who reached over Clary and kissed Isabelle lightly.

"She got you there, babe." Maia added, shoving Clary out from between them so she could get right next to Isabelle, nudging her face extremely close to Isabelle's. To Clary's annoyance, Maia provoked a full on make-out session, which was Clary's cue to get up and go to the kitchen for more popcorn.

When she reached the kitchen, she felt her phone buzz, and pulled it out, knitting her brows as it alerted her she had a message from an unknown number.

Almost dropping it, Clary stared at her phone in pure shock as she read the message over and over again.

Unknown Number: _You cannot hide. I will find you, nothing will keep you from our fate._


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

Clary couldn't really place from then out what specifically happened. All she could remember was dropping her phone and crumbling onto her knees with a thump onto the tile floor of the kitchen. Isabelle and Maia had rushed in, asking Clary what was wrong until they found her phone and read the message. Maia had then called one of the people on the team and Isabelle had ushered Clary onto the couch and cradled Clary's head until Clary had fallen into a fitful sleep.

Which brought Clary to this moment. Her eyes were still closed, and she could still feel her head nestling on Isabelle's lap, but Isabelle and Maia seemed to be arguing about something just as the doorbell had rung, which was what had startled Clary awake.

She heard Maia run to the door, and heard the door open, but didn't have any idea who was in the doorway and Isabelle was just to warm and comfortable for Clary to be bothered. She shifted a tad, sighing, Isabelle's arms around her tightening, and was just about to draw herself back to sleep when she heard the voice from the doorway speak.

It was a deep voice, that flowed smoothly and gave Clary's closed eyes the image of a smooth orange sunset. She was too groggy to make any of the words out, but she savored the smooth sounds of the voice, tempting her back to a peaceful sleep until, just before she was fully out, Isabelle shifted, getting up and laying a blanket over Clary.

Instantly, Clary missed Isabelle's warmth and almost woke herself up. But, her body and mind really weren't in the mood to face reality.

"Well, if you'll just hand Alec the telephone, he'll be able to track the area the number came from, at least." The sunset voice was saying, and Clary perked at the sound of it.

"Iz, come on, they can at least do more than you can just clutching the bloody thing. For C, please?" Came a pleading tone of Maia's voice. The phone must have been handed over, because a quick 'thank you' was resolved from a new voice that sounded more stoic.

"We really could figure this out quicker if Clary was awake. It was targeted directly at her." Something about hearing the smooth voice say her name made her feel safe.

"No way, she's already stressed a crazy amount as is." Isabelle, always pushing against all the rules. Clary sighed inwardly, irritated that she knew she had to face reality. Stirring, she forced her eyes opened, stretching her arms and sitting up slowly, attempting to stand. "Oh great, now you woke her up." Isabelle added, coming to Clary's side and pushing her back down on the couch, wrapping the blanket around her.

Clary turned, brushing Isabelle's fussiness away and looking towards the kitchen where Maia and the two young males from their team were standing, still conversing.

"It's okay guys, there's no way she's falling back asleep, just come in here." Isabelle said, and she saw Maia grunted, irritated, but led the two into their room and offered them spots to sit on the ground around the popcorn bowl. Alec hesitated for a second, but Jace just plopped down on the ground right next to where Clary was on the couch.

"Um, no offense, but, uh, why are you two here?" Clary asked, too tired to come up with a kinder way to ask the question, earning a guffaw from Jace.

"Well, after you received the text, Maia called Magnus and he sent Alec and I here since him and Aline were busy." Jace answered, looking up at Clary with an expression Clary just couldn't place.

"Okay, I get that, but like, how is you two being here going to help anything?" Clary pushed, making it a little too obvious that she wanted to be alone with Isabelle and Maia so that she could curl up with them and fall asleep.

"Alec here," Jace started, nudging Alec, who was typing some random stuff up on a computer Clary hadn't even noticed before, "Is a tech genius. He can hack almost anything. As for me, I guess I'm just comforting to look at." He ended, gold eyes gleaming. Isabelle let out a short laugh and stuffed some popcorn in her mouth.

"Looks like you can intuitively guess right." Isabelle said, earning a glare from Maia that enforced Isabelle to crawl over to Maia and pin her on the ground, causing Clary to roll her eyes, knowing she had lost them. Jace looked over at her, raising an eyebrow in question, and Clary shook her head.

"They'll be at it for a while. I'm gonna get something to drink. Care to join?" Clary said nonchalantly, getting up and walking over to the kitchen. She almost pumped a fist in the air when he stood up and followed her. She pulled the fridge door open, automatically grabbing a bottle of Guinness and popping the lid off, handing one to him as well.

"How are you holding up?" He inquired, popping the top off his beer and sipping. Clary watched his throat bob and had to look at the ground to wrap her mind around an eligible answer. Dammit, she was still a dazed awkward teenager.

"Just brilliant." Was all she could come out with, and he chuckled as she gulped down some beer. "Bleeding hells, I don't even know how I got here. Just two months ago I was a Canadian teenager adventuring on to her dream school in London." She sighed, and he cocked his head to the side, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. "I was supposed to be studying art. Now I'm being hunted by a murderer for something he claims I did when I've lived in a port in British Columbia my entire life." Clary said, gulping down the rest of her beer and slamming the bottle on the counter, not thinking twice when she pulled out another and popped the top off.

"So that's where the accent is from," Jace observed, only halfway done with his beer. "I get it. I'm in my final year of Law School and I finally get on my first gig and now I'm stuck babysitting." He said, almost as if he's talking to himself, and Clary can't help but giggle. Realizing his mistake, a second later he cringes. "No offense to you of course." He adds, pointlessly, and steps a little closer to her without even realizing.

"Law Student, eh?" She teased, inching a bit closer to him so the fridge door is the distance between them. "Sounds like way too much rutting work." She said, meaning it. It was one of the reasons she had chosen art. He chuckled, though, and it made Clary's stomach flutter with something that felt queasy, which she chose to ignore.

"Sometimes, but, it's what I've wanted since I first saw Sherlock in my tiny house on our huge farm in the middle of nowhere." Clary smiled, and Jace shot her a confused look.

"Farm boy? Hells, I was raised in Victoria, a busy port city on the water in Canada. I've always wanted to have a simpler life like that. But, in retrospect," Clary realized, laughing at herself, "I ended up in London, so I guess nothing really changed." She completed, and Jace grinned, finally finishing his first beer just as Clary finished her second.

"You know I've never even left the UK? Always wanted to go to North America. Never got the chance." Clary scoffed, not in a rude way but at that comment, never thinking someone would choose to go to North America. "Do Canadians drink like alcoholics, or is it only the ones from Victoria?" He teased, and Clary sniggered, nodding at her empty beers and about to come up with a witty reply right when Alec approached the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt the pity drinking session, but I finally cracked the number. You guys should probably see this."


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

Clary was ready. She just wanted all this crap to be over with so she could continue with her dream life in London.

So, Clary just nodded, grabbing another drink and then following Alec back into the room. Groaning, Clary approached Isabelle and Maia, who had passed out curled around each other in a way that Clary founds irritatingly adorable, and shook both awake letting them know what was happening. Alec pushed his computer further towards where the three girls now sat, and Clary grabbed it, considering the screen.

Confusion hit her like a blow when she saw the location, reading it a couple times to make sure she wasn't just going crazy.

"Are you sure this is right?" Isabelle pushed, and Alec nodded, looking slightly offended at the question.

"I know it doesn't make any sense at all, but I guarantee, this is exactly where the number led to." Clary shook her head, and Maia grabbed the computer to get a closer look. Jace appeared behind where Clary was seated and squatted in between her and Alec, his knees brushing her back and he leaned forward, looking at the location as well.

"Victoria?" Maia questioned, her eyes scrunching together, and Clary could practically see the wires in her head heating up. "Victoria, Canada." She added, stating it louder this time, turning her head to look at Clary, who had her knees pulled to her chest and arms wrapped around them. "As in, your home?" Maia finished. Clary nodded, rubbing her eyes with her sleeves.

"How could Sebastian send this message from Canada when he was here tonight? Is he working with someone in Victoria?" Isabelle interrogated, shooting her head towards Jace and Alec. "Come on, you guys are the specialists." Isabelle pushed, and Maia placed a hand on her shoulder, obviously trying to calm her down.

"Well, logically, he didn't," Jace started, and Clary couldn't help but scoff at that, earning a smile from Alec. "There's only a few options we're looking at here. He either has a person in Victoria he hired to send this message, or-"

"He had the message sent from Victoria any time ago and just let it go through now." Alec finished for him, and Jace nodded, not even seeming to be bothered that Alec totally cut him off.

"How the hell does that work?" Isabelle asked, flicking Maia's hand off her shoulder and coming over to Clary to stroke her hair, a comforting move Isabelle had realized quickly was one of the only things that calmed Clary down.

"It's simple tech really," Alec started, almost looking in awe. "It's clever, but you send it from the location, save it, and then send it again when needed. I used to do it for Jace as a kid all the time whenever he snuck out so his parents thought he was still at home." Isabelle looked to Alec in awe, and Maia came over to the two girls, resting her head on Isabelle's shoulder.

"Okay, not needed." Jace said, but Clary didn't miss the glance he sent her way. "So, he had it sent after tonight, but it was written in Victoria. The question is, did he go to Victoria himself for it or have someone else write it for him?" He asked, looking at the three girls.

"I've never seen him before today. Plus, I don't think there's anyone in Victoria who would want me dead or would help him with this, but I really don't know anything anymore." Clary said, getting up and grabbing her beer from the couch where she had placed it, sitting down on the couch and taking a sip. There was an eerie silence, and Clary knew everyone was thinking the same thing but none of them saying it.

Suddenly, Jace received a phone call, causing Clary to jump. Jace immediately picked up the phone, placing it against his ear.

"Hello, Jace Herondale here. Yeah, I'm with them right now. Yup, alright, sounds good, see you in a few. Thanks." He hung up, and then stood up abruptly, causing Clary to jump a second time. "It was Aline. She wants us all to go to her firm. She says she has news." Jace shrugged, beckoning Clary and the others to follow him. Clary stood, sighed, and pulled her shoes and jacket on, readying herself for the next life changing news she would be hit with.

Clary slammed the car door closed, following Maia and Isabelle to the door to the firm. She had insisted that they take the Tube, but Jace had ended up winning the argument and they called a cab instead. Clary approached the door, taking a couple deep breathes and closing her eyes. When she opened them again, she realized everyone had gone inside except Jace, who was standing at the doorway, waiting for her. Clary advanced to him until she was right in front of him, and he opened the door for her.

"You'll get through this, I promise." Jace said quietly into Clary's ear, causing a shiver up her spine. He ushered her inside, and she stood towards the back of the exact room she had been in not three hours ago. From the looks of it, Aline had barely moved, if she even had.

"Ah, Clary," She started, looking up, and Clary prepped herself for the worst, "I need you to call your mom right now. We need to know if she's ever met or seen Sebastian before." She finished, looking back up from her computer when Clary didn't make a move. "Well, get to it." Aline finished, looking back up at Clary and nodding her head towards her.

Clary pulled out her phone, and looked up at her friends, earning a nod from Maia to continue and a pat on the shoulder from Isabelle. Clary dialed her mom's number, already knowing how irritated her mom was going to be when she found out Clary was spending money on overseas calls. Clary took a deep breath, already dreading how she would explain this to her mom.

The phone dialing stopped, and Clary looked to her phone in surprise. She couldn't remember the last time her mom didn't answer her calls. She looked up again as her mom's voicemail rang out, and Clary rapidly dialed her mom's number again, trying not to panic. Her mom was busy with work, that was it. This time, the phone was picked up on the fourth ring, causing Clary to let out a breath in relief.

"Mom? Hey, I need to talk to you about something." Clary said, taking a few steps closer and sitting down on the couch she had sat on earlier. Her mom didn't say anything, and Clary heard some sort of static whooshing through the phone. She looked at it in confusion. "Mom? Are you there?" Clary knit her brows as the static became louder.

"Cla..ar..ry?" A soft voice tremored, and Clary started shaking at her mom's quiet voice.

"Hey, mom, what's wrong, are you okay?" Clary asked, her voice getting louder and faster. Both Jace and Alec approached where Clary was sitting, Jace taking a seat right next to her.

"Clary… wha..what's happen..ing?" Her mom's voice a barely, audible, and she sounded as if she had been crying.

"Mom? Where are you? What do you mean? Mom?!" Clary practically yelled at her phone, looking up at Jace with an open face of anguish, who stared back at her with a face of calm she wished she could achieve in moments of stress. Suddenly, a different voice rang out over the phone.

"Hello Clary. Funny to catch you twice in one night." Clary froze, hand trembling, as she realized whose voice was on the other end of the phone, and what that implied. She practically jumped out of her frozen haze when a warm hand clasped her shoulder, giving her some attempt at comfort.

"Who… who is this?" Clary asked, although she already knew and dreaded the answer. Aline had stood up and drifted over to Clary, and Clary realized that Aline had been recording the whole conversation. Looking down at Clary, Aline took the phone from Clary's hand and retreated over to her desk with it, the call still holding. Without thinking, Clary leaned herself back into Jace's arm, craving comfort from another body, but Jace really didn't seem to mind.

Finally, after 2 minutes of Clary stressing over what the answer may be, a reply rang out through the phone sitting on Aline's desk.

"Why, Clary Fray, I have a feeling you know exactly who I am." The voice rang, deep and terrifying, every word pronounced and dark. "We do share the same father, after all."


	6. Chapter 6

_**6**_

 _"We do share the same father, after all."_

Clary was spinning. Not like the spinning that occurred as a child when visiting the fair, spinning like travelling through an unending abyss. Clary was Alice, spiraling down the rabbit hole, unable to grasp anything and seeing no end to the spiral.

Clary had never met her father. Her mom had made a mistake of marrying him, and had always told Clary the way she'd make up for the mistake was replacing her broken marriage with the love she felt for her daughter. Clary's mom had worked so hard on raising Clary, she had just left it at that and never tried to force her mom into talking about her dad. Honestly, Clary had never felt that she needed a dad, anyways, they'd managed just fine on their own.

"Clary." Came a soft voice, one of comfort and urgency. "Clary." Clearer this time. "Clary!" Clary shook her head, blinking a few times, taking quick shallow breaths. Maia's face was right in front of hers, and when Clary looked down, both her hands were gripping Jace's tightly. "Hey, C, you're okay." Maia soothed, and Clary nodding, controlling her breaths and then looking up where Aline and Magnus were talking softly.

"Clary," Magnus said, turning towards the small girl, "have you ever met you father?" He asked, and Clary shook her head. "Do you know who he is?" Clary shook her head again. There had never been a point. Magnus nodded. "Then, we're going to need a blood sample of some sort, some way to track your DNA." Clary bobbed her head in agreement, and Aline stood up, approaching Clary.

"We'll go do that just now." Aline said, taking Clary's hand and pulling her out of the couch gently, towards the door. Undesirably, Clary let go of Jace's hand, and he gave her an attempt at an encouraging smile before Aline ushered her out of the room.

Clary checked her phone for what was at least the tenth time since she woke up around 20 minutes ago, but she couldn't help it.

"They'll call us when they get the results, okay?" Maia said, swiftly snatching the phone up out of Clary's hand and putting it in their kitchen, returning when toast, jam and tea for Clary, which Clary felt ridiculous for eating, considering it was already 14:30, and no one was eating breakfast anymore.

"Shall I turn on the telly?" Isabelle asked from her spot on the bed while scrolling through her phone. Maia looks to Clary, who shrugs, glancing towards the kitchen and taking a bite of her toast.

That same line kept ringing in Clary's head, and had rang through her head for the two hours before she caught four hours of sleep, even ringing through her mind in her dreams.

" _We do share the same father, after all."_

Clary almost laughed to herself re-looking over all the information she gained in the past night/dawn. A criminal after her, her mom with said criminal, sharing a father with a criminal.

Really, she wouldn't be surprised if someone told her she herself was a criminal.

A sharp ringing resonated through the flat, and Clary was in the kitchen in seconds, body working faster than mind,

"Hello?" Clary answered, desperate for some news.

"Clary? This is Aline. The team and I have news for you. Please come over to my firm as quick as you can. See you then." The line clicked, and Clary was drawing on her shoes and jacket in an instance.

"You guys coming?" Clary said from the door, where she was lacing up her boots. Isabelle and Maia shared a look before shrugging and nodding, all three girls out of the flat within minutes.

The tube ride to the flat was long and busy, considering it was midday and many tourists were out and about. The three girls all stood next to each other, not saying anything. When the train finally pulled to a stop and announced they were at the station of Aline's Firm, Clary practically bolted out of the car, dragging Isabelle and Maia by the hands, shoving through tourists.

When they reached the firm, they saw Alec waiting for them outside. As the trio approached, Alec looked up from his phone, smiling at the three girls and then escorting them inside of the firm into the same room, closing the door behind them.

Clary surveyed the room, spotting Aline and Magnus on the couch working, but no Jace, attempting to ignore the disappointment of his absence.

Alec coughed, getting Aline and Magnus' attention, who both turned to the four young adults and stood.

"Hello Clary, girls." Aline aid, and turned toward Mangus, smiling at all of them and undoubtedly winking at Isabelle before departing the room, leaving Isabelle baffled. Magnus' eye wrinkled at Aline' back before turning towards the girl and motioning for them to come forward, and then motioning to Alec that he could leave, causing Alec to dart out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Clary stood directly in front of him, eager to hear hat he had been waiting to hear, catching Isabelle and Maia sharing a glance at each other before taking a seat on the couch.

"Aline has just returned your lab results to me, and I have been working the past hour or so and have information that may alarm you. Are you sure you are ready for this?" Magnus asked, and Clary couldn't nod fast enough. She felt as if she had been ready to hear this since the day her father left. "Alright." Magnus started, and Clary braced herself. "Your father's name is Valentine Morgenstern. He became a convicted criminal in Canada a few months after you were born. He had a lot of robberies and break ins, and he killed three people after a crazy bank robbery in Toronto. He then fled to the UK, where he met a young child and raised him, if the term could be used in that way. That child then became his protegee and partner in crime, literally." Magnus said, giving Clary a second to process, before looking at her and then continuing.

"That child that he "raised" and taught all his skills is Sebastian Verlac, the very same criminal that is chasing after you now." Magnus finished, and exhaled, knitting his fingers together, giving Clary a second to pull herself together.

Clary looked to the ground, not exactly believing what Magnus said. How could that be her father? How could her mother marry someone like that? Furthermore, how could her mother not tell her something that important? Clary shook her head, looking down and her hands and back-peddling to sit on the couch next to Isabelle.

"Okay." Maia said, recovering the fastest out of the trio, as always, "So where is this Valentine now?" She asked, and Clary looked to her, blessing her for dealing with the questions so Clary didn't have to. Magnus looked up from his hands.

"Valentine is dead. He was killed during a robbery when he and Sebastian attempted to brake into the safe at the Bank of England. That was when Sebastian was added to the top Criminal listings. Valentine refused to leave the site, which forced the police into shooting him. Jace is currently headed to Scotland Yard to recover the tape from the crime scene." Magnus said carefully, picking up his mug and taking a long drink, allowing Maia more time for questions.

Maia glanced to Clary, obviously not knowing what else to ask.

Clary had imagined her dad multiple times. He appeared in her dreams as different people with different jobs and of different ages. One that Clary had never imagined was Criminal and dead, though. A tear slipped from Clary's eye, and she blinked rapidly, confused on why she was crying. Isabelle cradled her side and wiped her tear, attempting to soothe her.

Another tear fell, and Clary was about to fall apart until the door burst open and a flushed Jace entered the room, fast walking over to Magnus and placing the tape in front of him, before turning and realizing the girls were there as well.

"Sorry," he cringed at himself, his blonde hair spiking up, cheeks flushed from the cold, scarf crooked from running. "I came as fast as I could. Scotland Yard loves to bitch about security measures and other rubbish." He furthered, and Magnus dipped his head in thanks before dismissing Jace, who stole a glance at Clary, offering a sad smile before departing the room, Clary watching him go.

Clary stood abruptly, surprising even herself. "I need some air." She declared, turning to leave the room before pivoting on her heel and looking at her two best friends. "You two can go back to your flat. I'll be back there in a bit or so, maybe have some lunch, get some sleep?" Clary practically begged, and the two agreed, though Clary knew that there was a big chance that they would still be there when she came back from outside.

She then opened the door, almost knocking Alec over while charging outside, sitting herself down on a bench directly across the street, leaning back and closing her eyes, listening to the busy London streets. They seemed to calm her, though she wasn't sure why. It was almost like a reminder that there were hundreds of other people, all going about their lives as well.

She heard the door to the firm open and close, and opened her eyes, expecting to see Maia and Isabelle going back to their flat, but was surprised by the site of Alec and Magnus arguing. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but their voices were raised, and she turned her attention away, not wanting to intrude on their conversation.

She pulled her coat tighter, and heard the door of the firm open and close again, this time keeping her eyes shut, bringing her knees up to her chest on the bench, breathing softly and shutting out the irritating voice at the back of her head, who felt like taunting her about her dad right now.

There was a thump on the bench next to her, causing her to jump and open her eyes. She looked to her side, flabbergasted to see Jace sitting there, gazing in front of him.

"I get it." He said, turning his head to look at her shivering figure. "It must be extremely hard." He shifted his scarf tighter, his hands shaking slightly, and Clary wondered what for. "But you've been crazy strong. Your strength is astounding, it shows you're a tough person." He ended, scooting closer and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "But, sitting out her is only going to give you hypothermia. Come inside?" He asked, and as much as Clary really didn't want to, his sturdy arm around her shoulder supplied her with a false sense of safety, if that was even a thing anymore.

"Alright." She breathed, and Jace stood up, taking her hand and pulling her across the street and inside the building, Clary's hand tingling at the warmth from his hand around hers.


	7. Chapter 7

**7**

Clary hated Jace. Well, not exactly hate, more like, despise. All he had to do was ask and Clary would jump in front of a bus, and it scared her, as it should. No one had ever held that effect on her before, so it was a new emotional force And, of course, by no surprise whatsoever, it had been started in this surreal city of London, England.

But, nonetheless, it was all worth it. As Aline was trolling some government sites in the other room searching for Clary's mom and Alec and Magnus were hacking Canadian sites looking for more information on Clary's family, Jace had his arm slung around Clary's shoulder while he happily napped, and that was what Clary really needed. She wasn't quite sure what had prompted him to hold her, nor what she did to deserve it, but she found herself staring up at his adorable sleeping face.

Around an hour before, Magnus had practically thrown Isabelle and Maia out, so Clary was the only one left who really wasn't of any use. Clary was just taking a sip of the tea she had made for herself when Aline stormed in, a victorious look on her face.

"Yes, yes, yes! I deserve a bloody raise." Aline declared, and everyone in the room averted their attention to her, Jace startling awake from his nap. "Clary, I know where your mum is." Aline rushed, dashing over to Clary to sit beside her and Jace on the couch, shoving her laptop in Clary's face, Jace exerting a large yawn.

"Aline, a few breaths, please." Magnus said from his spot at the desk with Alec, who was currently grinning while one of his hands was intertwined with Magnus'. Clary had decided not to ask, though it made her very pleased to see Alec's normally solemn face lit up with happiness from Magnus. Aline nodded at Magnus, gulping down some air before pointing to the screen.

"She's in Victoria, Clary. With Sebastian." Aline said, and Clary let out a giggle, throwing her hands over her mouth, but giggling once more. Jace turned his head towards her, giving her a look, and Clary threw her arms around Aline.

"You, you you you you!" Clary said to Aline, her giggle fit subsiding. Jace moved his arm to rub Clary's back, and Clary leaned into his touch, almost naturally.

"Well," Jace said, his eyes wide with excitement, "looks like we are going to need to board the closest flight to one Victoria, Canada."

Of course, as Clary approached her dorm with Jace at her side who insisted upon not leaving her alone, Clary hadn't thought about her crazy roommate.

So, when she opened the door and heard her roommate on the other side of the sheet hung up, Clary cringed and turned to Jace who arched a single eyebrow. "Wait here." She said quickly, before scampering inside and grabbing her schoolbag, emptying it on the ground. She shoved a few different sets of clothing inside, some makeup, a hairbrush and a toothbrush before hurrying back out to where Jace was waiting and closed the door behind her.

"Should I question?" Jace asked, and Clary shook her head, offering a dramatic eyeroll. She headed down the hall back towards the ground floor, Jace pulling out his phone. She almost wanted to laugh. Her shitty roommate who was always preoccupied with someone else had felt like such a bigger deal before she ended up on the wanted list of a criminal.

Abruptly, Jace gave a whoop and grinned, making Clary jump and then glower at him.

"Sorry," He winced, still smiling, and Clary swatted his arm before he looked back at his phone. "Seven tickets to Vancouver, Canada, tomorrow morning!" Jace exclaimed, and Clary shook her head giggling, a smile forming on her face. "I know. I sound bollocks given the situation, but this is going to be so unreal for me." He exclaimed, and Clary giggled again.

"No, it's wonderful." Clary said, reaching up and patting his shoulder. He grabbed her hand and kissed it lightly, before dropping it and draping his own around her shoulders. Shock ran through her hand and up her arm, her breath catching at the smooth way he seemed to charm her without even noticing.

"Let's go to fucking Canada." Jace professed, beaming at Clary, who nodded in agreement with his declaration.

Of course, there was absolutely no argument needed to convince Isabelle and Maia to come. They had both been almost ecstatic to come, and Maia had even privately mentioned to Clary how much Isabelle needed this.

As bad as Clary had originally felt for tearing her friends away from their lives to track her mother, Clary really felt as if she needed them for moral support and both Aline and Magnus had agreed with that. Plus, Clary didn't think there was a chance she could leave London without her friends stopping her to go with.

So, there they all stood, waiting in the security line to get onto the plane that would lead them to a criminal and Clary's mother.

After they had made it through the obnoxious security line to their gate, Clary's phone beeped for the third time. She pulled it out, irritated, only to have her suspicion affirmed when she read the message.

 _Looks like I'll see you very soon baby-sister._

Jace looked over Clary's shoulder at her phone and immediately pulled Clary next to him, keeping his arm happily tucked around her the entire way through the airport. Of course, this choice made by Jace had been received with some very weird and seducing gazes from Isabelle and Maia plus some almost glare-like looks from Aline, which confused Clary.

Clary sighed, deleting the message and pocketing her phone. "Can't be bothered by him now." She said to Jace, who gave a clever smile in agreement.

Nonetheless, even with Jace never leaving her side, Clary felt lots of fear leaving London. It had been her home for a while, and going back to Canada felt like entering a reality that confirmed her few months in London were just a dream. A very vivid and realistic dream.

Clary found herself pacing the floor waiting to get on the airplane, and Jace had given up trying to calm her down, sitting himself in a chair and watching her pace. Isabelle and Maia were leaned towards each other, laughing about whatever they were watching on Maia's computer, while Magnus and Alec were having a quiet conversation, with Aline glancing from her computer to Jace and Clary and then back again.

Finally, Clary heard the announcement that allowed people to get in line to board the plane, prompting her to grab her bag and jump into the line, forgetting all about the others until realizing she had left her passport and boarding pass somewhere.

Jace came up next to her in line, passing her the passport of hers that she needed to get back into Canada, causing her cheeks to redden in embarrassment.

"Alright Jace." Clary breathed in, Jace turning his head to look at her with a brow raised. "Let's head back to my dear old homeland."


	8. Chapter 8

8

The plane ride was smooth for the most part, but was still extremely long, which irritated Clary more then she remembered.

Yes, Clary had never been the most patient person in the world, but she surely didn't ever feel _impatient_. But, by now, what didn't shock her?

Halfway through the 10 hour flight, Clary had gotten up to use the bathroom for the sixth time just so she could feel some semblance of pacing.

When she got back to her seat, she squeezed past a snoring Aline and an adorable baby-faced sleeping Jace to her window seat. She sighed, pulling up Jace's jacket that he had insisted she used as a blanket and closing her eyes, attempting to sleep.

She shifted positions many times before finally settling on laying her head against Jace's shoulder, not caring how it looked or what it implied about how quickly she was obviously falling for him. It was perfect, as if they naturally fit together.

Jace shifted, Clary cringing in hope she didn't wake him, only to have his head rest atop hers. He exhaled contentedly, the sound contagiously traveling onto Clary, causing her to close her eyes and fall into a semi-peaceful sleep.

Clary woke with a start, her moms screams and Sebastian's cackles echoing through her head. Her head jerked off of Jace's shoulder, the sudden movement waking him as well.

"What happened? Who died?" Jace exclaimed groggily, Clary's hand landing on his shoulder to calm him.

"Hey sorry, looks like I fell asleep on your shoulder and woke you when I woke. Sorry." She said again, and Jace smiled, his light hair falling over one of his golden eyes. "Well, anyways," She continued, breaking the stare-fest, "looks like we've got an hour 'till landing. You could probably catch another 45 minutes." She said, turning to her plugged in phone, flustered for no reason at all.

"What woke you?" Jace inquired, and Clary exhaled, puffing her cheeks out. She refused to turn to him and gush her guts up about her nightmares. "Clary, come on." Jace nagged, running his fingers through her hair in attempt of annoyance.

"I have nightmares. Vivid ones." She blurted, angered at her mouth for betraying her like that, having not sharing that part of herself in forever.

"Oh…" Jace said, and Clary turned her head to look at him, her cheeks red, his face unreadable. "Well, its nothing out of the ordinary. You're in a stressful situation, of course your brain isn't reacting well." Clary's jaw dropped a bit at his response. Normally she was just granted a "oh that must suck" or a "weirdo". "What?" He asked, worried.

"It's not just now though. It's been always." Clary argued.

"There's no difference. We all have things. Yours makes you, well, you." Jace said practically, as if everyone knew and believed this thought.

"Thank you." Clary said, smiling at him.

"For what?"

"Not sure yet." She answered, and he grinned, a boyish gleam coming to life on his angelic face.

They landed in Canada at midnight for their bodies but mid-day Canada time.

When they exited the airport, Clary felt a tension come to live in herself that she hadn't felt in a while, even only being in Vancouver, since all the Victoria airports were tiny.

The Brits, on the other hand, were ecstatic. Jace had practically skipped off the plane along with Alec and Magnus bound in toe. Aline came off whilst on the phone, Isabelle with her camera and Maia already half-asleep.

They ended up loading into a cheap motel, Isabelle and Maia getting one room, all three boys bunking together and Clary ending up sharing with Aline.

After hanging out with Isabelle and Maia until around 19:00, they were all so exhausted, Clary decided to retire to her room.

"You two don't go to crazy tonight. Love you guys, I'll see you in the morning." Clary said to the couple before leaving their room and heading down the hall to her room, not feeling tired in the slightest.

When she arrived in the room, Aline was busy on her computer, working whatever she was always working on with her cell phone propped against her shoulder and her ear, looking up when the door clicked signaling that Clary had entered into the room.

Clary shook her head at Aline, trying to indicate that she didn't have to hang up and talk to her but obviously failing when Aline knocked the phone off her shoulder and into her hand, ending the call.

"How you feeling?" Aline asked, patting the seat next to her. Clary inwardly sighed, not in the mood for a girl talk, but coming and sitting next to Aline nonetheless.

"Well, I mean…" Clary started, having no clue what she would say, when she was saved by the chiming of her phone going off. "It's probably Isabelle." Clary assured Aline, who shrugged and went back to her computer. Unlocking her phone, Clary blinked, surprised to see ' _Jace'_ on the screen. "Yeah?" Clary asked, after she answered.

"Are you tired? I'm not tired. Lets go do something. I need to go explore Vancouver. You in?" Jace questioned, rushed and sounding almost skittish.

"Please, will you go out and just babysit him? He's driving us insane." Came Alec's muffled voice from the phone, causing Clary to giggle.

"Alright, only for a bit though. And only to the places I know!" Clary added at the end, realizing she only knew the 'touristy' areas of the city since that's where she would stay with her mom when they came on holiday.

Clary hung up the phone, giggling to herself before grabbing her scarf up from where she had strewn it off in the bed and wrapping it around her neck, heading towards the door when she heard a throat clearing behind her.

"Heading back to go at it with those two?" Aline asked, smirking softly at Clary in suggestion.

"Very funny. No, Jace was just asking for me to take him out, since I know the streets and stuff. Alec practically begged me so I said yes." Clary said, figuring the conversation was finished at that, swiveling on her foot when she heard Aline continue talking.

"That isn't a mature idea at all." Aline stated, throwing her opinion out there, making Clary knit her brows. "A criminal who is in the same country as you is searching for you, and you're just going to go out with a random boy who was assigned to work with you and you'll never see again after the case?" Aline's voice was loud by then, bordering on a yell.

"I have a feeling this isn't about Sebastian." Clary said, standing her place, holding back her anger. Aline couldn't have been six or seven years older than Clary, she really couldn't be making wise adult calls yes.

"Jace and you will never work out. He's only hitting on you because this job doesn't give many options and you'll have to write up a full review on him if he wants to pass the assistant classes, you're being used." Aline articulated, quieter this time. "Plus, we already have a thing. He's my assistant." Aline added, Clary almost missing the final comment or the possessive way she said my.

"Whoa, Aline, no problem, was only going to chaperone. I'll catch you later." Clary said, not giving Aline a chance to attack her again by swiftly heading out the door, slamming it behind her.

Clary's pot was boiled over. Yeah, Jace flirted with her. Yeah, she flirted back. It's called the life cycle, human nature forced it. Clary didn't think Jace really wanted to get in her trousers, no matter what she felt for him herself. He was a lovely boy, and she enjoyed his company. Plus, he'd be lost wandering Vancouver on his own.

And with that, Clary had decided.


	9. Chapter 9

9

"It's quite lovely tonight." Clary said, her arm looped through Jace's elbow. "You're lucky you didn't catch the rain or snow, that would've been just like home." She continued, and Jace laughed, caught up in taking in every single thing he could on the streets. "They also film a lot of telly shows down here." Clary said, remembering driving past all the sets in awe.

Jace paused in his scanning to look down at her, his eyes alight with wonder, almost like a child in a toy store. It amazed Clary how soft Jace could randomly get over some things.

"Thank you for taking me out tonight." He said, before looking back out at the streets and continuing his quick walk, Clary smiling, her short legs trying to keep up.

"No problem." She said, loving the clear sky, freshish air and cool Canadian breeze. "Here," she stopped in front of a back alleyway, pulling Jace down it.

"Now what are we doing cutting through a tight alleyway?" Jace asked Clary slyly, a smirk hovering over his face. Clary swallowed, remembering Aline's words of how he was just using her.

"It's a cut through, don't get any crazy ideas." Clary scolded, pulling them through, across the street, and into the next one, remembering traveling this route with Simon when their families would take holiday's down in Vancouver together.

"Clary," Jace halted, grabbing Clary's arm and pulling her to a stop, pivoting her to face him. "Have I done something wrong?" He asked, and Clary shook her head all too quickly, taking a deep breath in attempt to steady herself. Jace was very close, and was not letting go of her arms. "I feel as if you've thrown a wall of unpleasant tension between us." He said, backing Clary up against the wall, a mischievous glint coming to life in his eyes. "I would very much love to smash that wall." He finished, both their breaths coming to life in front of them with every exhale.

"Jace…"Clary breathed, her brain screaming to pull away, her body not listening.

Clary felt every bone in her body singing; Jace, in slow motion, reached his arms up, his hands cupping her face and pulling his lips against hers, in a gentle way one would never assume Jace could be.

Clary responded, pushing her lips back against his, the two finding a rhythm, melding into one with another.

She brought her arms up the back of his body, her hands finding their way strung around his neck, caging him, pulling him tighter and assuring her there was no way he would move.

A clash of teeth.

A stroke of tongue.

A way Clary had never been kissed before.

Clary was just pulling back for air when Aline's words clattered through her head, unwanted and persistent.

 _You're being used. We already have a thing._

Clary pushed back only a bit, dropping her hands in hopelessness, her mind completely lost, her body betraying every rule she ever created for herself.

"Clary?" Jace asked, very unsure, looking so open, his cheeks flushed and hair fluffed. Clary almost grinned in awe, her mind going, *I did that.

"I'm sorry. I just- I um…" Clary drifted off, and Jace gave her a questioning glance, pulling back to search her face. "Bollocks! This is so frustrating." She said, Jace pulling completely off her in surprise, sadness entering his eyes. "No! No, I don't mean that, not at all." Clary re-assured, Jace raising an eyebrow in question. "Aline just, said some things." Clary finally spit out, looking down at her hands, wishing they were still around his neck and attacking her brain for saying anything.

"Oh." Jace uttered, shortly. "What did she say?" He asked tentatively, as if he'd heard this spiel before. Clary breathed, wrapping an unravelling the fringe of her scarf around and around her finger.

"She said that you were using me," Clary gulped, "And that the two of you already have a thing." Clary choked out, looking up in attempt to read his face, failing.

"Oh…" He let out again, not meeting Clary's eyes.

"Okay." Clary nodded, reading his expression well enough. "Totally fine, lets just keep moving." Clary said, not waiting for him as she continued down the alleyways.

Three alleyways later with no words shared between the two they finally reached the park Clary had been taking them to. It was large, but relatively empty since it was around dinner time.

Clary turned down the path until she reached the tall evergreen that sat in the middle of the park, sitting herself down on the bench underneath, Jace sitting himself beside her, leaving a decent distance, still not uttering a word.

Memories attacked Clary, penetrating her brain. Sitting under this bench on holiday, sketching the scenery, buildings, strangers, and many times, Simon or her mum. She adjusted her scarf, breathing in the cool winter air, the tension between her and Jace chopping the both of them up.

"I don't know why she'd say that." Jace suddenly said, startling Clary out of her thoughts, causing her to look at him, sadness obvious on his face. "We never really- we just…" Jace tried, Clary sighing softly.

"You don't need to explain yourself." Clary said softly, putting all the heart she had into her lies. "I don't want to get in between the two of you. Just no more random makeout sessions, okay, that's not fair to me or Aline." Clary said, not really giving him any say in the matter and not caring.

"Clary, I'm sorry. I really didn't want to-" Jace started, but Clary shushed him before he could finish that thought and crush her heart to the tiniest of the atoms.

They said for a while longer in silence before Clary stood up and started the walk back to the hotel, Jace following behind her, not ushering a word.

Right before she turned down the last few streets to head into the hotel and call it a night, she realized she had not eaten anything. So, with Jace still a few feet behind her, she sighed, knowing that if she tried to go eat alone he'd make up some lame excuse and convince her to let him go as well.

She turned, stopping, Jace almost ramming into her. "I'm going to try and pick up some food." She said, and Jace opened his mouth. "I know you won't let me go alone, but, I get to pick where we go." Clary said. He nodded, closing his mouth.

She turned, randomly roaming until seeing a cute little Chinese place and entering, ordering some food and sitting down, hoping Jace would respect her and sit somewhere else.

Jace plopped down next to her, running his hands through his hair. She sighed inwardly, trying her best to ignore his closeness and scent, radiating onto her and making her want to lean over and taste him again, despite everything.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, and inched as subtly as she could away from Jace, who was staring at the ground.

Luckily, cutting the tension, her order was called and she practically leaped up, grabbing her food from the counter and sitting a good distance from Jace who had just grabbed his as well.

She shoved some in her mouth, continually making sure there was enough food in her mouth so that Jace couldn't force her into babbling with his intense stares.

"I'm sorry." Came quietly, and Clary whipped her head up, meeting Jace's somber gold eyes. "Aline- she- well- we just…" Jace tried, and Clary sighed, annoyed at herself for getting her hopes up, standing to head out the door, her food gone.

She deposited her tray, walking out the door. She only made it three steps before Jace stepped in front of her, damn his height and long legs, forcing her to stop in front of him.

"Clary, will you just hear me out?" Jace asked, his voice breaking, and Clary angered herself.

"Okay. Fine. Go." Clary said, short and precise, giving him the best attempt at a pointed glare.

"Aline and I- well, lets just say I wasn't the most loyal in high school." Jace said, quietly, Clary sensing how hard it must be for him to flash back to the past. "I slept around, it was a small school. I lived in an adopted home with an alcoholic father. I was broken when I decided to go to law school and pull myself together. Aline felt like she fixed me, and I almost believed she did. She promoted me to assistant and bossed me around, thinking she was helping me." Jace paused, and Clary's face softened, realizing how harsh she must have seemed. "But I still wasn't whole, and I sure as hell didn't love Aline. But you walked into my life. You were completely foreign, literally, and you seemed perfect. And I just-" He swallowed, looking down to meet Clary's eyes. "I didn't think about Aline, or what she would make of it. I'm so sorry." Jace finished, slowly taking one of Clary's hand in his palm, running his thumb across her fingers.

Clary looked down at their hands, not knowing what to say. He didn't clarify whether he still wanted to be with her, but she felt as if him taking her hand could be a sign in the right direction.

"Okay." Clary bobbed her head, swallowing her anxiety and offering him a small smile. "We'll go from there." She said, and Jace beamed, stepping to the side, and the two continued to walk down the street, hand in hand, when Clary started laughing.

"What?" Jace asked, looking down at her, his hair shining as the sun went down, the locks cascading across his face.

"That was a damn good speech for you, Jace." Clary said, giggling again. "Are you known to making speeches?"

"Normally yes," his grin turned quickly, a mischievous glint in it. "This one I made up on the spot." He chucked, and Clary laughed harder, shaking her head and leading him back to the hotel, not wanting them to ever reach it.


	10. Chapter 10

**10**

The next morning they were up and about early because of the jet-lag, Aline waking Clary by belting her heart out in the shower.

Clary was up, dressed, and ready to head out quicker than she expected, surprised at the hint of excitement that had managed to slip into her veins about heading back to her hometown.

She had never really a _dored_ Victoria, but it was still her home town, which still had a very nostalgic feeling for her. Plus, everything there was easily recognized, easily known.

Aline had emerged from her shower, ready to get a move on as quick as possible. The night before, after Clary had gone out with Jace, she had partaken in a short conversation with Aline about how the best way to reach Victoria would be to take the ferry, which had prompted Aline to book them morning ferry-tickets right then.

Clary sighed, alerting a half-dressed Aline she was going to Isabelle and Maia's room before they left, grabbing her bag and scampering out of the condensed -feeling room, smugness in Clary's hora that just made her feel guilt.

She arrived at Isabelle and Maia's room quickly, needing to spill about the night before, freaked out. Pushing the un-locked door open, she entered in, only to find Isabelle and Maia still curled around each other, asleep.

Exhaling in irritation, she approached the bed, tapping Maia's cheeks repeatedly. Maia groaned, opening her eyes groggily.

"What gives, Isabelle? You know you can't wake me early on mornings after we've gone late into the morning." Maia muttered and Clary cringed, wishing she hadn't received that information, not really caring at the same time.

"Maia. It's Clary. We have to catch a ferry. Serial killer? All important stuff." Clary informed the now-rapid-blinking eyed Maia, who sat up.

"Five more minutes." Came a rough-with-sleep voice from across the bed, followed by a pillow that smacked Clary square in the chest. Clary groaned, chucking the pillow back at Isabelle, not believing how much it took the wake these guys up.

"Alright, well if you two don't want to hear about my late night alley times with Jace, I'll leave you be." Clary said in a sing-song sarcastic voice, mock heading for the door, waiting for the rapid fire reply.

"Night alley times with Jace?" Came a quick shriek, and Clary turned to see Isabelle sprung up from her sleeping position, lifting herself onto her feet, Maia doing the same. "Please do tell." Isabelle said and she grabbed her clothes and began to change. Taking the opportunity, Clary walked over to the bed and sat on it, cross legged, both Isabelle and Maia getting ready on either side of her.

"Well, I was taking him down a shortcut Simon and I mapped out when we visited as kids, and he decided that was the place to share a kiss." Clary stated, cringing at her poor wording, awaiting the raging question attack from Isabelle that was to come.

"And? Was it good? How long? Multiple alleys? Visible alleys? Details, Clary!" Isabelle practically screeched, Maia giggling on Clary's other side, but smiling in a way that said she was just as curious. Clary gulped.

"Well, here's the thing…" Clary drifted off, and both the girls paused what they were doing to look at Clary, sensing her shift from excitement. "Right before we had gone out, Aline had talked about him as if he was _hers_ or something. I was put off by it, and expressed my emotions. I think we're on a good note, though." Clary said, Isabelle eyes blaring and Maia nodding thoughfully. "He made a quite beautiful speech." Clary threw in, with hopes Isabelle wouldn't hate Jace forever.

"But, him and Aline?" Maia asked, always the thoughtful one out of the group.

"He attempted to make it pretty clear that him and Aline were not a thing. He told me I was perfect." Clary knit her brows, just now realizing how confusing the situation was, even for herself to understand.

"Well," Isabelle said, picking up her now packed bag, Maia following in suit, "we'll just have to decide how trustworthy he is after some watching and listening." She stated, Clary not sure if this was good or bad, looking to Maia, who shrugged, that look of admiration on her eyes for Isabelle.

Clary sighed, last to head out the door, feeling a slight pang of wish that her and Jace could somehow turn out as wonderful as Isabelle and Maia somehow made themselves work out.

Clary planted her Canadian ID back into her walled and the wallet back in her purse while walking along the ramps to the ferry.

She had always thought it ridiculous how high security was for just one puny ferry, but after the recent events in her life, she found it extremely comforting.

Jace and Alec, neither having been on a ferry before, insisted the sit up top, despite the dark, moist and foggy weather. The two had ran to the front of the boat, Alec laughing giddily, Magnus giving him a deep hearted laugh and a sweet kiss as the adorable couple looked out upon the water.

Clary stood a bit back from them, taking in the familiar Pacific Northwest feel. It hadn't been that long, but if Clary had learned anything, London really change a person, for better or worse.

"Jace!" Aline's voice cut through the fog, both Clary and Jace whipping their heads towards Aline, the women approaching Jace and pulling him inside, lecturing him about some random thing, Jace looking disappointed. Clary felt bad, but not bad enough to get into it with Aline.

She turned back out to towards the water, the strong wind whipping her loose hair around her face. The mountains could barely be made out, the fog covering the bodies, the only parts visible the tips. Clary rested her elbows on the bar, bending slightly, laying her head on her hands.

A memory hit her, of her and her mom on the ferry once, traveling back from a trip to Washington in the United States, since it was right across the border. It had been a clear summer day, and Clary had been eight or nine. Her mother had pointed all the mountains and landmarks out, naming all of them and making up random stories about islands they passed. Luke had stayed at home, doing some business with work, and it had been just Clary and her mom for once.

Her mom had picked her up suddenly, spinning her around on the front deck of the ferry, Clary giggling and grinning in return. Her mom had pulled her close, telling her how the whole world was full of life and love and it was all there for Clary to explore.

A tear slipped down Clary's cheek, and she looked down at where it hit the rail. She blinked, not even realizing tears had started pooling in her eyes. She closed her head off from the inside, hoping no one could see her crying, but not attempting to stop the tears.

She was so worried. She didn't know what the hell was happening with her mum, and what Sebastian could be doing to her. Her mind kept searching, deeper into her vivid imagination, major worst case scenarios forming inside her head, her mind going to the most violent ideals.

She shook her head, trying to stop her mind from devouring her emotional center whole.

A spray hit her from the water, and she decided it was about time to go inside. The tears had slowed down, and she wiped her cheeks with her sleeve, heading inside to sit down, when her phone beeped loudly, causing her to jump.

She pulled her phone out while shoving the doors inside, absentmindedly typing in her password and heading towards where she spotted Aline attacking Jace, still. Almost laughing at Aline's determination, she looked down at her phone, the smile steering clear off her face.

 _I see you're in Canada with us now little sister. Welcome home. Mommy's clock is ticking._

Clary's heart stopped beating, the message causing her to scamper over to the Aline and Jace argument and the Maia and Isabelle makeout fest a few seats away.

She reached Jace and Aline, and, unable to form words, shoved her phone into Aline's face and collapsed on the bench next to Jace, naturally resting her head against Jace's shoulder, still shaking.

"Go get Alec and Magnus." Clary heard Aline direct Isabelle and Maia, seeing their pairs of feet run across the ground. Clary closed her eyes for a few seconds, breathing in a deep breath, trying to calm herself and stop her shaking.

Jace raised his arm up around her shoulder, softly rubbing her shoulder and back. Clary opened her eyes, Aline looking between the message and Jace's arm around Clary's shoulder. Jace looked to Clary, squeezing her shoulder, probably in an attempt of moral support.

Clary sighed, resting her head against his shoulder just as the phone beeped again and Aline gasped.


End file.
